New Year's Crush
by Uncloudless
Summary: It's been a year since Shadow's death and on New Year's he returns! What happens when the extra attention Amy gives him makes Sonic a little.. jealous? Takes place after Sonic Adventure 2 SonAmy ShadAmy CH. 12 UP!
1. The New Year's Surprise

_Unimaginable pain surged like an endless run of bullets propelling into my body.  
The pain is too much that I can no longer feel anything. All I know is that bright red flames are engulfing my body right now.  
I have to do something… before I cease to exist as the ultimate life form.  
I closed my eyes, a final image of Maria coming to mind and with all my energy, I barely manage to scream out._

_"Chaos Control!"_

_Those being my final words, I collapse, and drew my final breath._

_

* * *

Days passed by as great depression overwhelmed us all. My eyes well up with tears every time I flash back the last image I saw of Shadow. It was a terrible sight to see him save us all… and then go just like that, falling… falling… being burnt into bits. There was no hope for him to have survived, we all know that._

"Come on Amy, we gotta go," was what my blue hero said when he saw my eyes locked onto the earth below us. He gently put his hand on my shoulder and led me away. I didn't want to go. I didn't want to leave. I wanted Shadow to be all right. He didn't deserve this. I mean, he wasn't a bad guy at all.

I wiped the tears from my eyes, and I could no longer think. I could only feel and pain was what I felt. Instead of rejoicing and celebrating because our world was saved, we were grieving because we had lost a dear friend.

Finally days passed. We were all at home, doing our normal everyday tasks. Then, days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months and soon enough, we were celebrating a new year, 2002. By then, everyone had probably gotten over it. I did too actually, but every now and then I would think about it. Just the thought of sacrificing yourself to save others is sad.

I sighed throwing a red and white sweater on. Maybe I should do something to get it off my mind. I usually called Rouge and we would talk and laugh but when I tried her house today, no one picked up. Maybe Sonic was home? Maybe…

My eyes lit up. New Years Eve was tonight. I could just stop by with a gift! I rushed to the refrigerator, brought out some dough and busied myself by making cookies. When I was done, I put them in a bag, tugged on my boots and headed out the door.

* * *

Chilly winds caressed my face as my tiny body shivered. I hadn't realized it was this cold partly because I had myself locked in the house all week. As I walked, I wondered what everyone was doing. I wondered what Tails was doing. Was he and Sonic hanging out? Did he update his Tornado 2? What about Knuckles? Rouge? I wondered if they were dating by any chance. I hadn't seen these people since June… and so much can happen in just a matter of months; especially six months.

Just as I was walking, I felt like I was being followed. I glanced around a little nervously and pace picked up speed. I heard the bushes rustle nearby, and my ear twitched as I walked even faster.

"W-Who's there?" I called out, my voice cracking a bit. I got no response. Not that I expected one anyway. The rustling began again, and this time it was louder.

"What do you want!" I asked and before I knew it, I took off, running for my life. As I ran, something emerged in front of me, stopping me dead at my tracks and startling me so much that I screamed. But it lurched forward and covered my mouth so I tried jerking away violently, thrashing my arms and legs wildly.

"Amy, it's just me." It said and I stopped. I know that voice… I haven't heard it in so long but I still remember it clearly. I turned my head, my green eyes darting up at the figure and I couldn't believe who was holding me.

"Sh-Shadow…" I whispered his name quietly, unable to process it in my mind at first. After a few moments passed by, I suddenly shot up, dropping the bag of cookies in my hand.

"Oh my god! Wait! Shadow!"

I couldn't believe my eyes. The guy that died to save our lives… was actually alive!

He just stared blankly at me, almost as if I was going crazy. Maybe I was. But I didn't care. For all I know, supposedly, "Shadow" was here by my side when he should've been burnt in ashes.

"Sh-Shadow…" I mumbled his name like an idiot over and over again, unable to recover from shock. He was a bit annoyed, so I decided to say something else. "H-How in the world did you survive?"

"What can I say? The power of the chaos emeralds can really come in handy sometimes, can't they?" He smirked, holding up his chaos emerald. My eyes lit up, happy to see him alive and well but I frowned when I saw his injuries.

"Come on! Come with me," I ordered, tugging him by the arm.

"What? Where are we going?" He asked, rather confused.

"What do you mean, 'where are we going'? You're hurt!"  
"But—"  
" How long have you been out here! It's not healthy for you to keep your wounds like that for so long!"  
"But—"  
" They can get infected!" She scolded him.

He opened his mouth to speak but just gave up, seeing no hope whatsoever. Before he knew it, she was dragging him inside her house.

* * *

_  
**Rebel Idiot: I hope you like it! More coming your way! )**_


	2. A Frilly Surprise

**Old Pen Name**: _ReBeL_ _iDiOt_  
**New Pen Name**: _Artificial Bomb  
_  
**AB:** Just so there is no confusion, the story isn't going to continue from Amy's point of view. It's just going to be regular. I find it easier that way I won't have to follow Amy around all the time.  
_  
It's like being locked up in a jail cell only worse, _thought Shadow as he found himself strapped in a chair with what appeared to be seatbelt buckles. That had been for trying to escape three times out the window while Amy was in the kitchen fetching for bandages, food, and such. Now she was giving him no mercy.

"How are we doing, Shadow?" she asked, coming into the living room with a bowl of soup.

He grumbled, his eyelids drooping tiredly. She walked over to him, bowl in one hand and spoon in the other, and kneeled in front of him. He cocked his eyebrow in a perplexed expression but was taken aback as she shoved a spoonful of hot, steaming soup in his mouth.

"What are you—"

"Hush up. Don't stress out, just relax," she said, dipping the spoon back into the bowl.

"I'm not hungry," he said in a rugged voice.

"Sure you are, you haven't eaten in who knows how long," she said shoving another spoonful in his mouth.

He growled.

"Amy I'm serious! I'm fine, okay? Just let me go,"

"No! What if you get hurt again?" she said, a tint of hurt glowing in her green eyes.

He narrowed his eyes for a moment but then relaxed his tensed muscles and sighed.

"I won't, I promise. I've been through much worse," he lied.

"Tell you what," she began, placing the bowl of soup down beside her. "Stay with me… for three days. Until I know you're in a much better condition then I'll let you go,"

Just as Shadow was about to protest he stopped seeing the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

_Was she really that upset for losing me? _he pondered.

Finally, he sighed heavily and nodded his head slowly.

"Fine… I'll stay for three days. No more than that," he said and Amy instantly agreed with a cheerful smile.

"Great! I'll go call the guys up," she said and hurried into the kitchen.

_The guys?_ _What is she talking about? _

"Wait! Amy!" he called and she came rushing back in quicker than he thought.

"Yes?" she asked with a sweet smile.

"Could you uh… untie me?"

"Why?"

"Well uh… you're telling me to relax and how can I if I'm tied up to a chair?"

Amy's face twisted in disappointment and she agreed to set him free unbuckling the belts.

"Thanks," he mumbled and she strolled back into the kitchen.

He stood up, stretched, and then sat down on the couch. Only something caught his eye; something shiny coming from her room. At first he thought nothing of it but it kept glowing with such a sharp, radiant red that he was too curious not to check it out.

Looking around quickly, he ducked into the room careful not to get caught. Once he entered her room, he noticed that the bright light had dimmed down and was hiding behind shadows. Shadows… behind her dresser. Or was it just an illusion?

_Maybe it's in her dresser, _he thought opening one drawer.

There was nothing but pink and white summer dresses piled neatly inside.  
He tried the next drawer. Sweaters.

His hand motioned down toward the third drawer and half-eager half-frustrated, he pulled it open. He stared down at what was inside, confused, and pulled something out.

In his hands was one of Amy's pink and white frilly panties.

"Shadow!"

Instantly he dropped to the floor, flustered, bumping his head hard against the dresser causing it to shake. He hadn't realized that a pink and black dotted bra fluttered out of the now broken drawer and onto his head. He sat there guiltily with her bra on his head and panties in his hands.

"Um… sorry?"

"Sorry nothing! What do you think you're doing raiding through my drawers?"

Blushing, he dropped her underwear and stood up about to make a run for it but Amy held on to his arm making sure he wouldn't get away.

"Oh no you don't," she said, blushing furiously.

"L-Look, I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"Again I ask, what were you doing going through my stuff?" she asked impatiently, brushing the bra off his head.

"I… I… I don't know. I thought I saw something," he said quickly.

"You saw something? In my undergarments!"

"N-No! I didn't know they were in there!"

"What are you talking about! This is my room!" she roared and Shadow flinched.

For a moment Shadow thought he should play sick so that she would sink back into her sweet, overprotective self and come to comfort him.

He walked backwards, dizzily, his eyelids drooping and fell back.

"Ow, I think I have a minor concussion," he said, rubbing the spot on his head that he bumped the dresser with.

Immediately Amy's face softened as she kneeled over him, leaning her face in a little too close to his, according to Shadow.

"Are you okay? Do you want me to get some ice?" she asked and he nodded.

She stood up and hurried into the kitchen while Shadow sat up and rested his head against the wall.

Come to think of it, it was no lie that his head hurt. The swollen spot on his head was throbbing with immense pain.

_Maybe I should sleep it off,_ he thought closing his eyes.

In no time he was fast asleep.

**AB: **Yoooo! I know I haven't updated in a while and I'm getting yelled it mucho… but ah, you grow used to it :  
Anyway, I recommend you check my profile frequently just to see what's up… because every once in a while I DO write in it especially to let you guys know what's happening! Only problem is… NO ONE CHECKS IT! Well what can I say? Just check that out… oh and MYSPACE IS TAKING OVER **MY** WORLD! I'm usually on every day, not for long, but usually just to check stuff. My myspace url is listed in my profile if you have myspace and would like to add me. Just make sure that if you do friend request me, message me also and tell me that you're from :D would be so much easier. Well thank you guys for your patience and for coping! Hopefully chapter three would be up soon because I have an idea more or less of what's going to happen. Well, later kiddies!


	3. An Unwelcoming Surprise

"What a pervert!"

Shadow's eyes snapped wide open, his crimson eyes adjusting themselves in time to catch a glimpse of a blur of blue flash past the doorway. His eyes darted around the room, trying to take in everything that he saw. The walls were painted a soft pastel pink with pictures of Sonic, Tails, and an unidentifiable aqua bird plastered everywhere. There were even pictures of Amy herself framed in thick white frames that sat neatly on a cream nightstand by the door. There was a tall bronze bookshelf that was filled from top to bottom with books and even more pictures.

_Pictures…_ he thought, eyeing one of the frames that was at the top edge of the bookshelf, standing almost as proudly as a gladiator who had just wrestled down a fierce and fatal lion.

_That picture… it can't be._

His heart nearly skipped a beat in a shock of panic that was rushing through the blood in his veins.

He realized that he had been laying in Amy's bed the whole time and that she was the one who probably put him there but at the time he didn't care. He wasn't concerned with that at the moment.

He threw off the pink and white sheets that dressed her girly comforter and walked towards the bookshelf taking the picture in his hand.

_What?_

The picture was of a certain black hedgehog, red tips on the ends of spikes, a white furry patch on his belly, kickass skater shoes, and white gloves. It looked like he was in a jungle which explained the green background accompanied by the very unpleasant poison ivy and giant deciduous trees.

_It's me…_ he thought, his heart beating irregularly.

_Why would she keep a picture of me?_

"Shadow, you're awake!"

Quickly, he turned, hiding the frame behind his back and drawing his attention to the pink hedgehog that stood by the doorway.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Not long," he mumbled.

"Hmm… you hungry?"

"Not really,"

"Come on! You've gotta eat _something_," she frowned crossing her arms.

"I will. Just not now," he said.

"Fine… well, come out when you're ready," she said grinning and walked back out.

_That was close._

He carefully placed the frame back in its spot, pulled on his shoes (that were placed under the night table) and stepped out. He walked towards the couch, hoping to get a little more rest and relax when suddenly someone wrapped their fingers around his throat and pulled him back, causing him to stumble. He struggled to break free, the grip around his throat tightening so that the oxygen he was breathing in was insufficient. He was lost for words; for thoughts even, when suddenly a paper bag was thrown over his head. Finally, they released him from his throat and grabbed his arms, forcing them behind them as if to hand cuff him only they tied a rope around them. All this time all he could hear was unidentifiable laughter and before he knew it, they kicked his back forcing him to meet ungracefully and very painfully with a wall and the door suddenly slammed behind him.

More laughter.

He growled helplessly almost wanting to whimper in a pathetic cry for help but decided not to. This was nothing. It was a sick and cruel joke but it was nothing compared to the other things that has happened to him.

Finally she could hear someone screaming at them to shut up; a female. It was Amy.

"How could you do such a thing!"

"Sorry Amy, just thought it would be funny," one of the guys said.

"Yeah, besides he should be able to take it like a real man," the other one said.

"Oh yeah? Well he just came out of a tough time. He nearly died to save _us_ and this is how you repay him! Go untie him and apologize," she roared.

_Ferocious woman,_ he thought.

Very ferocious indeed.

"But—"

"But nothing!" she growled.

"Fine…"

The door suddenly opened, and they grabbed him again but this time gently, untying the rope around his hands and pulling the paper bag off of him. His eyes flickered open, taking some time to adjust to the bright light but they widened at who had appeared in front of him.

"Damn you guys," he grunted.

"Hey Shadow, sorry about that man. It was a joke," Sonic said with a weak smile.

"Yeah, we thought you'd take it like a real man. We're always joking around like that," Knuckles added, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I wasn't part of it, I swear!"

Everyone turned to see Tails standing by the doorway with a cheesy smile.

"I did think it was a little funny," he admitted.

"A little? You were laughing your head off, little guy!" said Knuckles throwing a pillow at him.

"Guys, stop it all ready!" Amy said, all ready frustrated.

The room grew quiet but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Sonic was still grinning and so was Knuckles.

"Dude… it's seriously cool to see that you're all right. I thought we lost you, man," said Sonic punching Shadow in the arm.

He managed to grin back weakly.

"Yeah seriously, we thought that was the end for you. It was a pretty depressing time," the red echidna said looking down.

"Tell me about it, I couldn't even work on the Tornado because of it," Tails blushed.

Amy smiled.

"I guess it's safe to say we were all pretty bummed out. We're just really glad you're back Shadow," she said sweetly.

Shadow suddenly blushed mildly.

Sonic noticed this and grinned devilishly.

"By the way, I heard you scored one," he said.

The black hedgehog tilted his head, puzzled.

"You got Amy's panties,"

Knuckles burst into laughter following by Tails' shy giggle partly because he was still too young to participate in adult behavior.

_I guess she must have told them,_ he thought silently.

"So how'd that go?" Knuckles asked and Shadow snarled, the memory hitting him like a ton of bricks.

"Be quiet, I did nothing. It was a mistake," he said but they continued laughing.

When the laughter died down, Sonic was struck by an idea and his smirk was wiped off his face replaced by a friendly smile.

"So hey, wanna chill or something? Let's go down to the ice rink and play some ice hockey or something," he suggested.

"Ooh! Ooh! Yeah, let's!" Tails joined in.

"Ice hockey?" Shadow repeated, confused.

"You don't know how to play?" Sonic asked and he shook his head.

"It's all right, we'll teach you," he smiled and stood up, wrapping his red and green scarf around his neck.

Knuckles and Tails repeated the action while Amy went to fetch her red coat and scarf.

Shadow just sat there quietly when suddenly Amy came back and bent over holding an oversized black coat.

"Hey Shadow, it's cold outside. You're gonna wanna bundle up!"

--

**AB: Yay! Look, I promised! I promised ya see? I didn't take foreeeever like last time. I hope you liked this chapter! It's actually getting pretty fun to write and I'm getting a bunch of ideas. Thank you to alllll my reviewers and the ones who supported and had faith in me when I kinda gave up and didn't write anymore :(  
I think that's what really helped me and the fact that I didn't wanna let you down. Thanks for all that! Now I think it's safe to say that I'll actually stick with this story and write til the end! I promise I won't ever leave this fic unattended and WILL finish it. I love you guys:) **


	4. A Violent Surprise

Ah, winter; such a fine time of year, where all is concealed in the white purity of its beauty. Though the wind was at rest, the temperature continued to decrease creating bodies to react in a shiver. But somewhere in this world was a group at play and to their perspiring bodies, they longed for an even colder atmosphere.

"Shadow, I'm open!"

With just the sound of a crack, the puck was sent flying through the air and into the trees with the hockey stick not far behind.

"Game over!" Knuckles sneered, dropping his mitts, hockey stick, and mask onto the floor.

Tails lifted the hockey mask over his face as he stared at the forest in disappointment. A small sigh and out came his verbal response: "Bummer… and it was getting good too."

"Hey moron, this is _hockey_ not baseball,"

Immediately Shadow turned his head, a grim aura casting over him as he stared at his blue rival dead in the eye.

"Now, now, be nice Sonic. Remember, this is Shadow's first time playing hockey. Right, Shadow?" Amy turned to him, her sweet smile enhancing her lovely face.

"Oh, please. If the braggart's always ranting on about how pathetic we are, you'd think that "the ultimate life form" would be more godly than to look like an idiot."

What an irritating sight, Shadow thought as he clenched and unclenched his fists. Sonic seemed to have noticed this involuntary action and challenged him.

"Hey tough guy, why don't you just give it up all ready? A threat like that won't prove anything unless you put it to the test," he smirked.

"I must be dreaming. There is no way that the pathetic presence of your being has just asked me to fight you. Yes, you must be a fragment of my imagination and nothing more. Now, where was I?" Shadow turned to Amy in semi-satisfaction but noticed that her attention was focused on Sonic. Not only that, but the concerned expression on her face spoke for itself. Time had not made room for Amy's warning, nor Knuckles' and Tails'. The hockey stick in Sonic's hands were guided towards Shadow's abdomen in a fierce and violent movement. It would have been a strike so fatal, it would have swept him off his feet and straight into the bark of a tree; that is, if he hadn't caught it on time. With just the right timing, he was able to turn around quick enough to catch the hockey stick and pull it out of Sonic's grip. However, with the rapidity of its speed, he ripped the palm of his gloved hand which created a crimson line of liquid that seeped out of it.

No one said anything for a while, even though it had been just a few seconds in silence. What was there to say?

The black hedgehog proceeded to narrow his eyes, a growl escaping his throat. The bastard, he thought.

"Sonic…"

The youngest in the group swept his twin tails over the floor from side to side as he closed his mouth, regretting to speak at all.

Amy was trembling, not out of fear but in anger and disgust. She clenched her fists and held them up to her bosom and stepped forward, her emerald orbs clearly becoming moist with oncoming tears.

"Sonic… how immature of you. Very immature. What is with the rivalry between you guys? Can't you just learn to grow up? You're both hedgehogs, yes very different ones, but we are all living, functioning creatures with emotions!"

Shadow's eyes suddenly went wide. Emotions; such a thing he had never felt. No, never. Not until Maria had come into his life and taught him about the world. She taught him what it was like to love and be loved, even if he did not fully understand what it meant. A robot such as he was alive and functioning, but with emotions? For Amy to consider such a thing had hit him in such a way he could not comprehend. He looked down in these moments of silence before Amy started up again.

"…And, and you.. Sonic, t-to try and kill Shadow… how… why… what is it with this competition? Don't you understand? You've been letting it take its seat in the center of your life and controlling you. You just **have** to be the best, don't you Sonic? Does it embarrass you that much to accept that perhaps others are wiser and even more talented than you?"

With just a few tears shed and a rub in the eye, Amy turned her back, collected her things and began to walk back to her house calling Shadow after her when she realized he wasn't following her.

He wanted so much to tell her that he was fine, and that he'd rather be alone but when he tried to tell her, it didn't come out and for some strange reason, he was compelled to follow her.

'M-Maria…? Why have I been seeing you for the past twenty-four hours?'

**

* * *

Uncloudless**: Yes, it shocks even myself to know that I've updated, especially on a Monday night. Anyhow, let's keep this short and simple. Any questions you may have may be answered if you check my profile. It's been updated with adequate information. If you still haven't found the answer you were looking for, feel free to email me and ask. Other than that, yes I've made some punctuation errors here and there. You are very welcome to fix any mistakes : BTW, I apologize for the length of this chapter. It's not exactly the longest, but considering I've been on terrible temporary hiatus and author's block, I've been sorting out different ways to fit the plot line. Let's hope for the finished result of this entire story (what a miracle that'd be...) 


	5. An Unexpected Surprise

**Uncloudless:** I really didn't expect an update exactly the next day O.o well I guess it's better that way. This chapter isn't very long either but at least we're getting somewhere. I know that so far this fic has been jumping a lot without any explanations but don't worry, everything will get cleared up in the later chapters (especially why Sonic has been acting strangely). Other than that, get to readin' .

* * *

How was this possible? This was surreal. Within twenty-four hours, so much has happened. First of all, Amy was on her way to Prince Charming's house (which to her dismay, after today he may not be her Prince Charming after all) with some cookies she had baked specially for him. From there she encountered a wounded Shadow from behind some bushes and took him home to aid him. The next morning, she found herself being visited by Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles and discovered that Shadow was alive and at the time was still sleeping in Amy's room. Then came the cruel prank they played on him when he awoke and then came…

Snap out of it Amy!

She blinked her eyes as hard as she can, relieving herself of what she had witnessed on the field. What had gotten into Sonic? He seemed fine before Shadow came back. Why did he suddenly act out of character?

She gently kicked the door open with her knee, bringing out a pot of potato soup and some tea into the living room.

"Shadow, I made you something," she said in her usual cheerful tone.

"I'm not hungry," he replied flatly.

Color rose to her cheeks as she began to feel offended.

"Shadow, I'm not that bad of a cook. At least try It. For me? You haven't eaten at all since I've seen you,"

"Robots do not need to eat, rather, we keep alive by feeding on energy."

She stared blankly at him, tilting her head.

"Well, food _is_ energy. Now eat up!"

"But I don't—" was his interrupted thought as he found himself being force-fed by Amy who was now kneeling on the couch beside him. As he swallowed the portion, she grinned in anticipation.

"How's it taste?"

"I guess it isn't so bad…"

"Really? All right!" she squealed in delight.

The more she asked how much he liked it, the more he had to lie in attempt to shut her up. In all honesty it wasn't bad at all; he was just exaggerating.

"Want another helping?"

"N-No Amy, that's quite all right," he stuttered, moving away from her.

"Well, anything else that you want?"

"No. Thank you."

They stared at each other for a moment, except there was a strange look in Amy's eyes. It was the type of look a woman gives a man when she suspects something. Even if Shadow barely interacted with the world around him, he knew well enough that the look she was giving him couldn't be a good one.

She took the bowl into the kitchen and for a while all he could hear was the clattering of the dishes being stashed away while the water ran from the sink. Perhaps he should close his eyes for a few minutes and think about what has happened. Yes, and he would finally reach the answers to some of his questions. However, all was disrupted when Amy returned with the same look pasted onto her face as she leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. Apparently she wanted answers to questions of her own.

"Shadow, I have a question. Well, maybe a few questions…"

Oh, no. I wonder what those could be, he thought as he regretted his decision in following her home.

She unfolded her arms and approached him and sat on the couch beside him. She drew in a deep breath. It wasn't a very hard question to ask. Why was she nervous?

"Shadow… where were you this past year?"

This suddenly drew his attention, his red eyes glowing with intensity.

That was a very good question. Where in the world was he and what was he doing all that time?

"Honestly," he started, unsure of where his answer would lead to, "I don't know."

Amy stayed silent for a few seconds.

"D-Don't know?"

"No."

"But it was an entire year! How could you not know?"

Shadow suddenly reached forward and grabbed Amy's wrists in a firm grip, despite the aching wound in his palms. Taken aback by this, Amy attempted to withdraw her hands and when she realized he would not budge, she turned away.

"Amy, you need to look at me. I have to tell you something," he said.

She hesitated for a moment, and then, very slowly, she turned to face him, their eyes meeting.

"Listen, there's something I want to make very clear to you since it seems that you don't quite understand. I am a robot. I do not hurt the same way that animals do, do not need to feed on things that animals eat, do not believe in time, and most importantly," he said, bringing her closer to him, "do not have emotions."

Amy's mouth curled into a pout, a clear sign that she was about to start crying. There was not much she could say. There was nothing to think about but what he had just finished telling her. Why hadn't she thought of it before? Shadow isn't real. Of course he doesn't function like other living things can. But for some reason, in her eyes he can.

"A-and," he continued, sensing her discomfort, "if you really want to know what I was doing the entire time I was gone, I was searching for my purpose."

"Sh-Shadow, you all ready know your purpose."

"Do I? Can I be so sure of that? I have my doubts."

Amy understood. Everyone has their own doubts. Shadow's been so lonely ever since Maria left him that it was no wonder he was so terribly confused.

The dark hedgehog stood up, and walked towards the door.

"Please, let me go out tonight. I'd really like to be alone."

After that, there was nothing but the quiet shut of the door as Shadow wandered out into the night's darkness. Amy wanted to stop him, but she knew she had to let him be. Tonight she wanted to be alone too.


	6. An Unnerving Surprise

**Uncloudless: **As promised, I have updated on the weekend of the 26th (if you don't know what I'm talking about, check for updates in my profile)! This chapter has no Amy, unfortunately, but it at least goes over the events that lacked explanation earlier in the story. Thanks **soooooo** much to all of my reviewers! I write back to most but sometimes I can't to all. To those who did not receive a reply, just know that I thank you with all of my heart for checking out this story and being patient. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

* * *

Shadows danced in unison with the flickering neon lights that hung over the shops that were lined up parallel to each other on every block. These lights included arrows that curved sharply towards special items displayed on the glass windows and others that screamed "Sale" to attract many shoppers. But what were material items worth? For how long would they supply happiness to the owner? What was happiness?

The black hedgehog strolled by the markets with an invisible rain cloud above his head. Had it been raining Amy would definitely come to haul Shadow back to her house; but now not even she wanted to deal with him. If he really fulfilled his purpose on the Ark by saving the world, then what was he still doing here? Wasn't he supposed to disappear in a cloud of dust? Wouldn't he be dead to this day and be forever remembered as the mysterious hero?

Shadow stopped walking and turned to face one of the glass windows. He saw an image he clearly recognized – himself; a hollow black hedgehog run by an ingenious program. His eyes were dim and lifeless as if his mechanical system had finally declined anything other than what he was programmed for. In other words, he was a computer that badly needed an upgrade in order to continue life and function normally.

His ears began to droop in response to these devastating feelings and his eyes darted down to the concrete sidewalk.  
"I don't know what to do…"  
"Shadow,"

Immediately he glanced upwards and saw the reflection of Maria through the glass.  
"M-Maria?"  
"Shadow, you mustn't give up. Your life wasn't meant to end after you saved the Earth from being destroyed. People still need you Shadow. She needs you. She needs you."

He took a step closer and stared into the reflection intensely.  
"M-Maria—"  
"Shadow!"

The hedgehog was taken aback as he witnessed Maria's soft and gentle glow morph into Amy's.  
"A-Amy?"  
"Shadow please, I need you, Shadow. I need you…"

For a long time, he stared at the ghostly reflection that was Amy in confusion, not quite understanding why she had appeared in the first place. Then, very slowly, he reached his arm towards the glass, running his fingers down her face until her image began to wither away. He closed his eyes and withdrew his arm, clenching his hand into a fist.

"Fine then. If I must continue to live to make you happy, then I must find a way to renew the soul I've never had before. That's… a promise."

"Shadow, sometimes you don't make any sense at all,"

The hedgehog turned around sharply, only to make direct eye contact with blazing green eyes.

"It's you again. How irritating," he growled as he recognized the blue hedgehog in front of him.

"Listen, I don't know what your deal is – coming back all of a sudden and causing a commotion but I'm gonna find out,"

"Find out _what?_ There is _nothing_ to find out! In fact, I'm not sure what _your _deal is, attacking me all of a sudden. I've done nothing but come back and reveal my current state."

"What about the rest of the year? What were you doing hiding all that time, huh?"

"That's none of your—"

"Well? Unless you've got something bad up your sleeve," Sonic pressed him.

"You have got to stop accusing me of such nonsense. I nearly killed myself while saving the Earth. Why do you hold such a grudge against me for that?" Shadow snapped.

Sonic silenced himself for a few moments before starting up again.

"All right. Ya wanna know why?"

Sonic took casual steps all around Shadow, increasing his defenses and stopped suddenly, staring at him dead in the eye.

"'Cause the day you returned, I lost something I took for granted… to _you_."

"To _me_?" Shadow asked ignorantly.

"Of course. I… I guess I never realized how much I cared about her until she started making a big fuss about you. It went on for the entire year and then suddenly you showed up and—"

"Wait a minute. What do you mean she made a fuss about me for a year?"

Sonic sighed and plopped down on the curb.

"We really need to have a long talk about this."

"Yes we must. Now clarify. What do you mean by what you just said?" Shadow asked as he sat down next to him.

"Shadow, listen. The day we thought you died, Amy was really down. Everyone took turns trying to comfort her and honestly, it… it broke my heart to see her in pieces. She wasn't the same cheerful and energetic girl that chased me everywhere I went. In fact, for that entire year, she did nothing like that. She barely talked to me and wouldn't look at me. All she wanted to do was be alone. I mean, I really thought we lost her and—"

"You're saying she was in such a state because of _me_?" Shadow asked, feeling rather flattered.

"Ugh, yeah Shadow. Now stop interrupting me."

Sonic paused to make sure Shadow had no other comments before continuing.

"We ended up losing touch so I figured she never recovered… and to tell you the truth, I… I kinda missed those times she'd chase me around. Then on New Year's Eve, you happened to show up. You healed her wounds, glued the pieces, and brought her smile back. It was _you_ who did this, not _me_. And well… that's what got me thinking and… well, you must really mean a whole lot to her,"

Shadow stared at him quietly as Sonic stared down at the white straps on his shoes.

"So then, why does it bother you so much?" he asked.

Suddenly, the blue hedgehog jerked his head up and narrowed his eyes while standing up.

"Dammit Shadow, don't you frickin' get it?! I… I…"

Sonic stopped, and closed his eyes tightly and drew in a deep breath.

The black hedgehog only cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

"You what?"

Sonic re-opened his eyes and relaxed himself.

"I love her."

An uncomfortable tension lingered in the air between them for some time as the rest of the city carried on with their own business; honking horns in the middle of the nightly traffic jam, and people scattering out of shops as they began to close.

Shadow was the first to break the silence.

"Sonic… I don't know much about love, but Maria always told me that a person always likes to be told that they are loved. It makes them happy. Maybe it's best that you tell her."

"I can't… she hates me now, especially after what happened earlier." He said as he turned around and began to walk away from him.

Shadow was in a loss for words. He could not call him back; he didn't know what to say and before he knew it, Sonic was gone from his sight.

He sighed.

"Maybe it's time to search for answers elsewhere…"

With that being said, he turned and began to walk away from the attractions, the people, and the noisy city.


	7. A Frightening Surprise

The pillows were dry tonight, surprisingly. Her pink tangled locks were a result from the tosses and turns and physical feelings of discomfort that have been ongoing since about ten o'clock.

She opened her eyes and squinted across the room towards the hazy red numbers on her alarm clock. Three in the morning. Five hours had passed and she was still not able to get to sleep. The most she had gotten was a ten to fifteen minute doze before hearing the shatter of a glass bottle or laughter outside.

She hoped to God that Shadow would come home. If he wasn't back by morning, she was going to march right out and search the entire city for him. Isolation wouldn't be good for him. What if he never came back again?

Oh, Shadow. You're tormenting me, she thought as she rolled over on the bed and stared out her window. An old, giant tree blocked much of her view of the street, which was unfortunate enough for her. She knew she had to keep her ears open in case the front door should open and Shadow's feet be dragged onto the couch.

Amy suddenly sat up. The sound of footsteps was coming from outside. This was no ordinary passerby. The footsteps had a distinct pattern: they would start getting closer and closer, stop, walk away, stop, and walk back again.

Shadow was probably outside wondering if it was a good time to charge back inside or not. Amy, on the other hand, was dying to let him back in.

The pink hedgehog slipped into a pair of running shoes and threw on a gray sweater over her pajamas and ran outside. She threw open the door and, on first contact with the icy winter breeze, she stumbled backwards into the warmth of her house. What was she thinking going out in just a sweater, a pair of pajama pants, and some running shoes in the middle of winter? But still, her motivation did not wear thin. She ran out of the house as quickly as possible in time to meet a dark figure throwing rocks at a trash can across the street. The noise was irritating this late into the evening.

"Shadow, come inside it's cold!" Amy laughed as she encircled her hand around his forearm.

He chuckled.

"I don't know about Shadow, but I happen to like the cold,"

The pink girl stopped, retrieving her hand in alarm and embarrassment. She took a step backwards, the stranger now stepping into the highlight of the streetlight revealing his neon green eyes, his blue spikes, and his signature grin.

"S-Sonic… sorry, I wasn't expecting you to be here. Especially this late at night," she lowered her eyes down towards the pavement in thought at the finish of her sentence.

"I needed to talk a walk. I haven't been able to settle down and sleep, ya know. It's just…"

Amy lifted her eyes at Sonic to see that he was now the one directing his attention towards the ground.

"It's just what?" she asked.

Sonic began to grin uneasily, almost involuntarily, in attempt to ease the awkward tension. He took a minute to arrange the words in his head properly before letting them out. One word could ruin him for good.

"A lot has happened today—well, yesterday; a lot of things that I wish didn't happen at all," he bit his lip and paused for a second.

"Amy, don't hate me for what I've done. I don't wanna kill Shadow I just—"

"Want him dead." Amy finished bitterly.

"No! No! Not at all!" Sonic raised his hands up to his chest and shook them back and forth in unison with his head.

She crossed her arms and glared at him.

"You tried to kill him and that's all that matters. Sonic, you used to be my hero. I used to look up to you!" she cried, her eyes beginning to grow moist.

"I followed you everywhere wanting to be just like you. I grew up wanting to impress you, Sonic. T-Then I started changing my motives and I… I," she paused and looked at him fiercely, her big green eyes shiny with tears.

"…I wanted you to recognize me as a woman."

Sonic was speechless as he was appalled. Never had he taken the time to see her for who she is rather than the image of the eight-year-old child running after him like he was her favorite doll. He would always dismiss her as a pest and a nuisance the times the chases became excessive. Was it his fault he didn't want to stop for her? He thought in silence, but before he knew it, Amy had spun on her heel and began walking back to her house.

"A-Amy, wait! Don't leave! L-Look, I'm sorry okay? Amy!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it Sonic. It's too late."

Ouch.

With that, the door slammed shut and the blue hedgehog was left alone again. It would just be he, himself, him for the rest of the night. Perhaps it would be for the rest of the week; maybe even for the rest of his life if his old buddies began to turn against him too.

He sighed quietly.

Life is so difficult. It isn't fun when the problems start to jumble in and pile into an untouchable mass of complications. At least for Sonic they were untouchable. The guy wasn't used to worrying. He was a free spirit. He came to "kick butt" when Dr. Eggman would present his expected threats. But that was all. No one ever told him that the older he got, the more life would unfold a real-life soap opera.

Sonic looked up.

The clouds were a musky gray and the air nipped at his skin like a whip lash. It _was _cold out. In fact, it was freezing. But Sonic couldn't return home. He didn't want to be home. He had too much on his mind that the dark rooms would confine him uncomfortably.

He rubbed his nose and hugged himself, shrugging his shoulders. He'd stay out for a little longer. The cold couldn't kill him.

Meanwhile, Amy was upstairs with a pillow in her arms. Even now that it was quarter to four she still couldn't sleep. But instead of clouding her thoughts about Shadow's whereabouts, she thought about Sonic.

Sonic…

No, no Amy! she scolded herself. You think about Sonic and you let your walls down.

She clutched the pillow in her arms tighter. When she said what she said, Sonic looked as if he witnessed a flying gorilla except with a more earnest expression. It was a shame that things happened the way they did.

Life is just like Reality TV I guess, she thought.

The hedgehog turned on her side facing the window. She wondered if Sonic was still out there walking around. Nahhhh, he was probably out speeding and catching the cool winter breeze. Although it was awfully cold out. And she did walk away without giving him a chance to speak. No! But that was the right thing to do. He deserved it.

Satisfied with her last thought, she closed her eyes and drifted off into a light dream state. But the dream she had would be the last thing that would be satisfying to her.

Images of Sonic flashed before her eyes and disappeared before she can grasp them.

"Sonic," she laughed. "Come back here!"

She chased the images over a strip of black film and into a dark room. For a minute, all she saw was darkness, and was paralyzed with fear. The very thought of not knowing what was in front of her shook her. A corner of the room was suddenly illuminated by the glow of an Exit sign and she immediately ran towards it and out of the room. She bent over and panted, relieved that she had escaped the dark room, but was confused when she looked up and realized that she was inside of a subway train.

She straightened up and looked around. It seemed pretty normal. The color inside was entirely blue from the floor to ceiling. It was empty, that was for sure, only one passenger sitting on a leather seat from across with a newspaper shielding his face. The stranger wore a khaki-colored fedora on his head.

"E-Excuse me, do you know where we're going?" she asked uncertainly.

The stranger lowered the newspaper hastily, causing Amy to jump. When she saw who had been hiding behind the newspaper, her eyes widened in alarm.

"Oh! Shadow, what are you doing here? Are you coming home?" she asked worriedly.

"No. I've got some business to take care of."

"Business?" she plopped down beside him. "What business?"

"Just some stuff I have to clear out. Then everything will make sense again." he said with a slight grin.

She giggled. "Ah, I get it. Still searching for that purpose?"

It felt nice being next to Shadow again. Her heart fluttered excitedly. After everything that had happened, she wondered if things would continue that way.

"Shadow, will you come back home after you're finished?" she asked inching nearer to him. She felt her cheeks heat up. Then suddenly, he placed his hand on her knee and turned to her sharply with a grin on his face.

"Of course I will."

His warm breath tickled her and chills ran up and down her spine.

Her heart was racing by the time the train began to slow down to a stop.

"Well, I get off here," he said, saluting her with his hat and stepped off the train.

After a second or two, Amy's feet dragged her to the door and heard herself yell, "Wait, I want to come with you!"

But the doors slammed shut right before her, and her face made a painful impact with the glass window. The train started up again, running faster and faster. She could see nothing pass by her due to its insane velocity.

"Hey, let me out! I don't belong here!" she cried, fisting the door.

When she realized that she couldn't stop the train from going, she stepped backwards and charged for the window. She leaped up, her body spinning, and in slow motion, she could feel every piece of glass that had shattered dig into her flesh, drawing an oozing liquid from underneath. Her body hit the ground, and although she was badly injured, she didn't feel so. She sat up quickly and eagerly looked down at her state. Surprisingly, she was not destroyed and no blood was to be found anywhere. She looked up. Where she had landed was a complete different story. Voluptuous greens covered every inch of the area, and vines spread from the tops to the bottoms of trees. She stood up and walked for a bit, wondering where she was and how she was going to get back home.

The further she walked, the clearer she heard a cry of agony. Her eyes grew wide as she looked all around her. There was danger nearby and she wasn't prepared for it. She crouched down and got on all fours and began crawling behind the thickly condensed grass that was growing everywhere. The screams were revolting as they grew even louder and her stomach began to churn. What was happening? Why was she here? It was all she could think of.

Finally she stopped and parted the grass carefully with her trembling hands and took a peek. Her jaw flung open in horror.

"Shadow!"

She shot up and ran at the center of the jungle where the black hedgehog was relentlessly beating Sonic.

"Shadow, stop it right now!" she screamed, shoving Shadow off of Sonic. But the black hedgehog grabbed Amy and pushed her away and wrapped his fingers around Sonic's throat. Sonic gagged and flung his hands in the air wildly but was soon strapped down by Shadow's body weight.

As Amy made her way towards the boys again, her face took on an unexplainable look of horror and disgust. It was too late. Shadow got off of his opposing enemy leaving his dead, limp corpse on the ground.

"Why did you do this?" Amy asked through gritted teeth, tears flowing down like an endless river.

Shadow smirked.

"You're a stupid one, Rose. Don't you get it? My purpose was to kill what was getting in my way before he got the best of me first."

He brushed by her coldly, leaving a shaking Amy to inhale the smell of dead love. Dead love…

Dead love… her love. He was. No, _he_ was. Which he? Both of them? Yes, both of them. Both monsters were dead to her. But why did she feel so horrible? Because she was the only one alive and _she_ loved.  
She loved…

Amy shot up from her bed, breaking in cold sweat. What was that? It wasn't real was it? No, of course not. It was just a horrible nightmare. She ran her fingers through her hair.

She had to find Sonic.

It was fifteen after four in the morning and she was once again running outside with just her pajamas on.

Her feet took her to what her eyes saw first: a body laying on the floor. She began to sweat again, nervous. Flashbacks from her nightmare began to flood her head and her imagination began to run wild. She approached the body and threw herself on the floor and embraced it.

It was Sonic. Sonic was paler than paper and colder than the temperature itself. She wrapped her arms under his armpits and began to haul him towards her house. When she got him inside, she pushed him up on her bed and threw her covers over him along with three other blankets. She placed a hand on his forehead. He was burning up! She stumbled into the kitchen and returned shortly with a pack of ice that she placed gently on his forehead.

"Oh no, how did this happen," she muttered over and over again.

She placed the back of her hand over his cheek, as if by miracle his fever had gone down. He was still boiling over.

There was not much she can do now that he was unconscious. She would have to wait until he would awake in order to feed him and give him medicine. For now all she could do is wait.

She looked down at him. He looked so charming now that he was asleep and his guard was down. His guard was down…

Curiosity surged through her body and she wondered how far she could go before he woke up. But of course, she wasn't thinking of much than just a gentle touch. So she leaned over and tapped him gently on the lips with her own. His lips were cold. She decided to have another go and this time captured his lower lip in her mouth. She gently trailed her fingers down his cheek and broke the kiss.

She looked down at him intensely. If those emerald eyes of his were to pop open, she'd probably have a heart attack right then and there. But they didn't. He didn't even flinch.

She smiled and gently kissed his cheek.

Sonic has always been protecting me, she thought as she climbed in bed beside him. He's always been there for me when I needed him most. He may have thought I was annoying but he never neglected me during my times of need. So I'll do the same for you. I'll protect you no matter what.

That dream of hers would have her thinking for a while. But now she realized that no matter what he does, she couldn't hate Sonic. They go too far back into her own memory. It was always Sonic who was saving her from a crisis, and after the nightmare she had, she realized that maybe it was time to try to do a little bit more for him than to sit there and wait to be recognized. It was going to take the actions to replace the words.

She wrapped her left arm around him and looped her fingers around his.

Shadow was a different story. She wasn't sure how she felt about seeing him again after what she had just dreamt. Something about it worried her and she couldn't seem to just wave it off as a normal nightmare. She would just have to keep her guard up from now on. After all, her two favorite boys loathe each other and that may cause some serious issues.

She buried her head in his neck.

But as for right now, she decided to just forget about it. After all, what was more important than the moment she was having laying next to her long-time love? She decided it was best just to enjoy what was left of the night.

She smiled warmly and whispered softly into his ear,

"Sweet dreams, Sonic."

* * *

Uncloudless: A very important note to all: please excuse my grammar and all, if any, punctual mistakes. I'm not at the top when it comes to writing… and trust me, I know so. My English teacher gave me a tough time during sophomore year because he wanted my writing skills to be "perfect". However, those who are far more experienced than I am, please, do not hesitate to correct me on my wrongs. Thank you, thank you, thank you, and good night ;D


	8. A Traumatic Surprise

The winter was brutal but was slowly melting away, indicating that spring was but a few months away. Drops of water fell from the icicles that hung from dead trees and telephone wires. The icicles were beginning to sweat away into nothing, just like Sonic's fever. Warm sunlight gently bathed his face. He groaned slightly, his eyelids coming to a slow raise. A pink fog streamed into his blurred vision. A subconscious smile slithered onto his face as he closed his eyes again.

"What a dream…" he chuckled.  
"Good morning, Sonic!"

His eyes shot open in an instant, his heart throbbing in panic. His eyes fixated on the pink fog until a clear image of an energetic Amy sitting on his stomach came into view.

"A-A-A-Amy!" he stuttered in alarm. His eyes darted all around the room, consuming his surroundings and trying to recall the last thing he remembered last night. "W-Why…? W-Where—"

"STOP TALKING!" Amy demanded, shoving a thermometer into his mouth. "You'll get a sore throat! You had such a high temperature last night. How do you feel? Do you hurt anywhere? Are you hungry? Sonic!"

The blue hedgehog attempted to utter his responses through the thermometer before being scolded again.

"Sonic, stop talking or I'll never know how your fever is!"

Sonic became aggravated. "Mm-ee, mmf-oine oo-wurr-ee-mm-oo-mmush—"

"You're such a chatterbox, Sonic! Fine, if I can't take your temperature," Amy began, ripping the thermometer out of his mouth and pulling out a different thermometer, "then I'll have to take it elsewhere. Roll over."

Sonic's eyes widened.

"Come on, come on. Let's go, Sonic," Amy demanded, impatiently.

Out of desperation, Sonic pointed out the window. "Hey, is that Shadow?"

"Shadow?" Amy turned her attention towards the window but was stricken with alarm.

"Huh? My bad, that's not Shadow. That's just a handsome blue hedgehog off on his way, see ya Amy!"

Anger boiled inside of her. That sneaky hedgehog raced outside in the blink of an eye.

"SONIC! Get back in here, you're sick!" Amy yelled.

She opened the window, glaring at Sonic. He was perched on the tree that stood in front of her window. She swung one leg over the ledge of the window, her eyes fixated on Sonic's mischievous green ones.

"Don't make me come get you, Sonic," she warned, "because I will."

She reached her arm out to grab a dead branch, before lifting her second leg to step onto the ledge. Sonic watched, both with caution and with amusement.

"You don't…remember…at all what happened last night…?" she asked, pausing in between to secure herself from falling. "You don't…remember…that you were outside…on your own…" she slowly slid her foot forward. "I came…out…" she raised her foot with caution. "…and…we talked…and then…" holding onto the branch, she pulled herself towards the tree. "…the next thing…I know…you just…coll-AAAAAH!"

"Amy!"

The miscalculation of her foot placement caused her to slip and stumble backwards. In an instant, Sonic sprang forward and grabbed hold of Amy's hand, pulling her up and into his warm embrace. It was a cold winter; and there, in each other's arms, the two hedgehogs were welcomed by the warmth of spring. He held her tightly against him, securing her from slipping out of his reach. She stood there, the adrenaline pumping insanely within her, shock still enveloping the trauma from almost hitting the ground two stories beneath her. Thick clouds of fog formed from the heavy breaths they exhaled.

From the corner of the block, a black hedgehog stood watching the entire scene as it happened from the moment Sonic raced outside to the moment that he rescued Amy from plummeting to the fate of a bloody skull. He watched with crossed arms.

"Hmph," he grunted. "That hedgehog… is too troublesome," he muttered, his blazing red eyes locked onto the blue hedgehog squeezing Amy tighter and tighter against him.

"He must be executed."

* * *

Sonic looked down at the trembling girl in his arms. Whether she was trembling from cold or shock, he did not know. The image of the petrified Amy burned into his mind. He did not know how to comfort her; what to say. If he moved even slightly, would it cause her to burst out into a scream? He waited for a reaction, staring intensely at her face as if it would permit him to read her mind. His heart raced, afraid to do anything to upset her yet unsure of how to show affection.

Affection… was that something that Sonic ever showed to anybody? Rarely. Especially to Amy. But still, somehow he was beginning to gravitate towards her ever since Shadow's reappearance.

Hesitantly, he stroked Amy's arm gently with the thumb of his arm that encircled her.

"Amy… are you okay?" he asked.

She stood paralyzed. She could not take her eyes off the ground.

"Amy…?" he nudged her gently.

He stopped stroking her arm and stood there just as paralyzed. What kind of reaction was this? It's not like Amy's never been in danger before. In fact, she had been through much worse danger. How was this any different than being kidnapped and held hostage by Dr. Eggman? Sonic waited for a response.

"Just bring me inside," she answered quietly.

"Close your eyes. It'll help," he whispered.

"No. Just bring me inside. Please…"

Her gaze stayed locked onto the soil beneath them. He did as she requested, secured her in a tight fireman's hold and leapt onto the window ledge. He dropped her carefully on her bed. The mattress springs bounced slightly underneath her body. He closed the window before turning to look at her paralyzed figure on the bed.

"I should get going," he announced awkwardly, unsure of what else to do. Sonic was never good at handling emotions let alone another being's emotions.

Her emerald eyes darted to his. "No. You're staying right here."

He looked at her, confused. What could she possibly want with him after freezing from whatever trauma overtook her?

"You're sick. I'm not letting you leave until you get better."

"But I _am_ better."

"No you're not!" she snapped, sitting up rigidly. "You're sick! Very, _very_ sick."

_Bipolar girl,_ he thought.

"This is getting ridiculous," he huffed in irritation. "I'm Sonic. Sick or not, I keep going and nothing's ever happened to me. A little fever's not gonna do anything to stop me. You're treating me like a kid."

The pink hedgehog ignored him as she got up and threw back the bed covers. She looked up at him and motioned towards the bed.

"No," he said.

"Lay," she hissed.

After some quarreling, Sonic gave in and plopped down on the bed, much to his dismay. Amy found herself in the kitchen busying herself by making soup but her mind was elsewhere. Images of her falling off the tree replayed in her head as she stirred in the carrots.

There was a battle taking place within her. It wasn't that she wasn't grateful for Sonic always looking out for her and saving her; but there was a pattern. It was like that ever since they met. She was always the helpless victim. Wasn't that why Sonic could never see her as anything more?

"_Close your eyes. It'll help."_

Isn't that what she always did? She was always frightened and covering her eyes was such a subconscious reaction.

"I don't want to be like that anymore... I don't want him to think I always need him," she whispered to herself as she stirred slowly.

_Ignoring him and waiting for him to come to me won't necessarily make him see me as a woman. But I can't really be the same needy little girl either. There needs to be a balance… he needs to see that I'm independent before he recognizes me as a woman. _

She took a ladle and poured the soup into a crystal bowl that she pulled out of her cabinet. She closed her eyes, calming herself down.

_Come on now, Amy, everything's okay. You've been worrying too much about everything lately._

She smiled to herself in self-reassurance and scooped up the hot bowl of soup.

"SOOOOONIC!" she called out cheerily as she approached her room. "Sonic, your soup's ready!"

She stared into the empty room, the covers on her bed folded back into a bunched up mess. She stood there dumbfounded before clenching the handle of the bowl angrily.

_And you always run away from me. You take care of me but you never let me take care of you._

She let the bowl crash onto the floor, soup splashing onto the hardwood floor as a crystal explosion of broken shards erupted. Her legs carried her to the window as she threw open the window forcefully and stepped out.

_I'm tired of being afraid._

She reached out for the branch in front of her.

_I don't need you._

She pushed her body forward, ignoring the fear and mental screams of warning that were engulfing her.

_I can make it on my own. _

The branch beneath her cracked. She desperately held onto the branch in her hands but the cold air nipped at her skin bitterly, making it difficult to grasp. Fear was beginning to paralyze her again from the waist up, for she knew that at this point, not even her blue hero would know she is in danger. Her hands were too numb to feeling as the branches ripped through her white gloves. She felt herself slipping…falling…falling…backwards she went, her head flying back and her hands desperately trying to grasp something that was not there.

* * *

Such an old story! This was started 7 years ago but now I'm challenging myself to finish it. So yes, the plot did fluctuate on the first few chapters (as well as writing style) and **YES** I was terribly annoying! Please ignore those if possible and feel free to contact me. Updates will always be on my profile page. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions go ahead and message me ( has private messaging now?)


	9. A Heart-throbbing Surprise

_You left us...you left us all.  
The day I watched you fall into the earth… I would have never imagined I would ever see another being get burned alive.  
It's an image I could never erase from my mind. And no matter how many times I tried to doubt the event or even the fact that you ever existed…I just couldn't.  
You were so evil when I met you.  
I hated you.  
I wrapped my arms around you, mistaking you for Sonic until I discovered who you really were.  
So much darkness surrounded you and yet… I wondered if you could truly be as cold and menacing as you made yourself out to be.  
What had frozen your heart?  
And could anything melt the icicles that entrap it?  
But then we found out…you have no feelings; no soul.  
You are the Ultimate Life Form.  
You aren't like the rest of us.  
And as you tried to explain this to me again the other day, that you have no emotions, I just can't help but think that you __**are**__ just like us.  
You __**do**__ have emotions, Shadow. Why else did you sacrifice yourself to save us? To save the world? You didn't have to.  
But something inside of you is soft enough to decide that we are important to you.  
That something inside of you is beating.  
Right now.  
At this very moment.  
Me? I already have a heart. I already have feelings. And they've been hurt many, many times.  
But my biggest heartbreak was losing you.  
I never want anything like that to happen again.  
I don't want to get hurt like that ever again…  
_

* * *

Amy's eyelids came to a slow and steady raise, white fog streaming into her vision. Long spider-like branches came into focus as her vision adjusted, with icicles dangling right above her. She stared at them blankly, unable to register any thought or emotion that was trying to make itself valid to her. The outer corners of her lips curled into a tiny smile, a feeling of peace enveloping her.

_I'm dreaming,_ she reasoned with herself, her body feeling numb; lifeless, even. Suddenly, consciousness escaped and flooded into her body like a tsunami of energy. Her eyes widened, taking in her surroundings, as she sat up briskly with a sharp gasp escaping her throat.

_Am I dead? Do I have a concussion? _

Her hands searched her body vigorously, checking for blood or any signs of pain. Nothing. Just as her mind began to recall the final events she was able to remember, a familiar voice interrupted her, causing her to crane her neck sharply.

"You're awake," it said, and as she turned her head to follow the voice she was met with glowing red eyes.

Her body jolted backwards, her dress rubbing against the icy pavement which sent an alarming shiver up her body. She glared at him, remembering why she was angry at him as she continued to kick herself backwards clumsily, unable to stand up.

He looked at her strangely, taking a step towards her, "do you need any help—"

"Get away from me!" she shrieked, holding her arms out in warning.

He stopped, confused.

"I just want to help you," he said as he began to take another step forward.

"NO!" she screamed, Shadow's spikes now standing at the tips. He continued to stare at her alarmed, waiting for her to speak again.

He watched as she flipped herself to her side, landing on her hands and knees and attempted to stand up.

"Amy," he began, caution trailing in his voice. He waited for her to look at him, catching an angry glare she mercilessly shot at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She huffed as she stood up straight and began taking steps backwards. Silence lingered between them.

"So, you're not going to talk to me now?" he asked as she crossed her arms, spun on her heel and faced her back to him.

He sighed. What was the point in pursuing her for a response when she clearly was in no mood to provide him with one? Just as he turned to walk away, she spoke, her voice quivering with anger.

"You know Shadow, you've done a lot to hurt me," she said. He stopped, dead in his tracks, as his eyes lowered to the ground.

"First you disappeared for a whole year, presumably dead," she continued, "and then these past few days…"

She clenched her fists, fighting back a wave of emotion that was ready to roll out of her tear ducts. She let out a slow sigh, calming herself down.

"There's really just a lot on my mind, Shadow. I need to be alone."

Without ever turning around to face him, she walked away. Half of her wanted to explain what was wrong; get everything off her chest. He had run away from her, causing her to worry and then there was that awful nightmare she had. There was no way she could bring herself to talk to him about the latter as she felt her trust in him dwindling the more he hurt her.

He watched her walk away, her figure getting smaller and smaller as the distance between them expanded. He kicked at the gravel in frustration. Though he generally did not feel emotions, there was something bizarre building up in him at this very moment. It brought him down. Disappointment? He knew he had failed whatever Maria was trying to persuade him into doing. He had hurt someone who was beginning to grow in importance to him; someone who had resembled Maria.

He couldn't let her go. No. Not like this.

The pink hedgehog walked herself to the strip mall, where she immediately dashed into a jewelry store to keep warm. What was she thinking, walking around in the cold like that? No wonder her body was so numb when she had fallen off the tree, it was winter!

Wait a minute, she stopped, her heart beating rapidly.

Did she really fall off that tree or had Shadow saved her? She tried to recount the last thing she remembered, failing to draw a proper conclusion.

_I must have passed out,_ she reasoned, remembering only darkness after losing her grip and making eye contact with the sky. How long had she been unconscious for? Surely, she would have frozen to death if it had been for long.

She rubbed her arms and stomped her feet in attempt to warm up her frozen body.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ she thought, _I should've just headed back inside!_

Shadow had been standing in the direction of her front door and, with strong refusal not to look at him, she walked the other direction – which initially wound her up here; cold and wallet-less, surrounded by things she badly wanted to own.

She sighed.

This was such a tease, especially for a huge shopaholic like her.

The bell jingled several times as people shuffled in and out of the store, sending a deep shiver through the open door. In an instant, her arms wrapped around herself in an attempt to contain her body heat. She stared blankly at the jewelry, her mind elsewhere as the bell continued to jingle. She hadn't even noticed the footsteps that were approaching her from behind.

"Do you like it?"

Amy whipped around in alarm, standing face-to-face with the hedgehog she had just dismissed. She glared at him.

"Shadow, why are you following me? I said I wanted to be alone," she huffed, angrily.

He ignored her protests and walked over to the glass table where she had been gazing at the jewelry. He asked the man behind the table if he could look at it as Amy continued to scold him in anger.

"Are you listening to me?!" she stomped her foot. The anger in her eyes vanished as he turned to her with a diamond studded ring in his hand.

"This is the one you were looking at, right?"

She had become speechless, as if someone had pointed a remote control in her direction and hit the mute button.

It was quite beautiful, actually. She hadn't realized she was gazing straight into it the whole time.

"Well…it is beautiful," she breathed dreamily.

"Try it on," he said and her heart stopped.

"W-What…?" she asked, sweat building inside of her nervously.

Without further notice, he extended his arm, taking her hand in his gently and slipped the ring on her index finger. It didn't fit. She watched as he tried the rest of her fingers for a fit, her brain fighting for something to say to destroy the silence between them that was making her insanely uncomfortable. Finally, he got to her ring finger. Her heart throbbed uncontrollably as he slid it on slowly.

"It fits," he announced, raising his eyes back up to hers. She blushed vigorously, retracting her hand away from his.

"It's beautiful," she muttered.

The man behind the glass table had been watching the whole time.

"Do you want it? It's $6000," he said and the pink girl nearly choked.

"I can't afford that!" she wailed. "We weren't going to purchase it anyway," she said about to slide the ring off but stopped as soon as Shadow's voice filled the air.

"I don't have your kind of currency," Shadow began as he tucked his hand behind him and retreated it with sparkling gold rings, "but I do have these. Will this make for a fair exchange?"

The man stared at the pile of gold rings on the table, dumbfounded, unable to find works to properly speak. After a minute of surprised jibberish that had escaped his lips, he managed to utter out, "deal!" and hauled away the gold rings into a cardboard box he had pulled out from the side.

"Sh-Sh-Shadow…" Amy stammered, holding her red cheeks with her hands.

"Come on, let's get you home. It's quite cold outside for warm-blooded mammals," he said and lifted her off her feet and into his arms.

She closed her eyes.

She couldn't believe this was happening. She didn't even know where to begin to think.

The bell of the shop jingled as he stepped out. Neither of them noticed a shadow that had been lurking behind them, watching as he skated back to her house.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well this really wasn't the greatest way to come back, I'll admit it. As I've said years ago, I keep losing the original direction of where I want this story to go, but now that I'm back I'm sort of re-routing things into a comfortable plot. It's just moving pretty slowly. To all of my reviewers, I want you to know that I appreciate your love and support from the bottom of my heart! I literally become heartbroken every time I get an email or review telling me I've abandoned this story again and beg me to continue it. Someone mentioned I lost my own challenge, because I had apparently challenged myself to finish this story 3 years ago when I came back but I ended up disappearing again. Right now finals are coming up and things are really hectic so I don't know how fast I'll be in updating this. I have a Tumblr account that I'll display on my profile page, so don't be shy, you can give me a little visit and send me a message to remind me to get my butt back to this story! Hopefully the next chapters will be a lot longer and have more depth. Anyway guys, I really love you, you put a smile on my face. Thanks again for all the support and making me come back! (:**


	10. A Gossiped Surprise

It was a quiet night in the Mystic Ruins; peaceful but yet oh-so-dull, having to spend every day's night shift the same way. But the guardian of the Ruins hardly minded. His duty to guard the Master Emerald had been handed to him since he was very young and it had been years since then. But tonight felt different. There was a disturbance in the air. But nobody was around.

The red echidna rested his chin on the palm of his glove, his eyes darting around cautiously. A shadow flew overhead. In a flash, he lifted his head and looked up. Nothing. He narrowed his eyes.

"Where are you, ya little coward," he growled protectively, clenching his fists in preparation.

"You're like a dog protecting his bone. It's just me, you doofus."

The echidna spun around, following the voice to a white bat that stood behind him.

"You're dangerously close to the Emerald, Rouge, back off. I don't wanna hurt you," he said.

She folded her arms and rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Who says I'm here for your stupid emerald?"

"Well, why else would you be here?"

She cocked her hip to the side and planted a gloved hand on it.

"Can I sit?" she asked. "You know, I'm a guest here in your, uh," she looked around the jungle, disgust riding her face, "_home_, and you don't even welcome me? Not quite the gentleman if you ask me. This is why I would never date you."

"Never said I was on the market. Don't care to be. And even if I was, I don't go for selfish, manipulative women anyway," he said.

The two stared each other down intensely. She narrowed her eyes, deciding to maintain her tongue.

"Speaking of dating, I didn't know Sonic's girlfriend was cheating on him."

"What?"

"You know. The cute little pink girl that always hangs around him."

"I know who Amy is, I've known her longer than you," he said, growing annoyed. "They aren't dating. Never did."

"Oh? Well, that's a relief. At least now I know that she's faithfully engaged to Shadow," Rouge smiled, watching Knuckles' eyes expand in disbelief.

"Wh-what are you talking about? Shadow's been staying at Amy's for a bit but she's only taking care of him. Nothing else is going on."

"That's not what I saw," Rouge said, mischief shining in her eyes. "I was at the jewelry store and—"

"What were you doing at the jewelry store?" Knuckles asked, crossing his arms.

"_Window _shopping. I wasn't going to steal anything!"

The echidna shifted his position and stood in front of the Master Emerald, blocking most of it from her view.

"Continue," he said.

"Don't trust me, huh? Smart boy. Anyway, I saw the pink girl run in there and I thought to myself, how odd is it for someone to be out in the cold without a jacket. And, being as curious as I am, I stuck around and watched for a while to see what she was in there for. Not long after that, Shadow came by and I saw him disappear into the store as well. So I watched through the glass to see what was going on, and, all of a sudden—you ready?—he asked the salesman for a ring and he slipped it on **her ring finger**! And then he paid for it! He got her an engagement ring, Knuckles! Did you hear me? They're **engaged**!"

Knuckles looked at her blankly, thoughts not clearly processing through his head. The white bat waved her hand in front of him.

"Hello? Earth to Knuckles."

After another moment, the echidna opened his mouth to speak, a tangle of confusion rolling off his tongue.

"Uh… how do you know that they're really engaged though? Couldn't it just be…you know…a friendly gesture between two friends? I mean she's been taking care of him and all."

Rouge rolled her eyes once more.

"Knuckles, you really should get out there and date. You'd learn a thing or two about how these things go. You don't get your friends a _**ring**_ and place it on their _**ring finger**_ to thank them for something they've done. Would you ever give me a ring if I did something nice for you?"

"You don't deserve anything after trying to steal the Master Emerald."

"I gave you the pieces back! You act like I'm the most hideous thing in the world!"

For a moment, he eyed her, taking in her beauty despite the anger that was plastered on her face. He blushed and looked down.

"You're not hideous," he said quietly. "But I think I do get what you mean. It is a little bizarre for Shadow to give her something that symbolizes pre-marriage. Knowing Shadow, I don't think he's aware of what he's done."

"Knowing Amy, I'm sure she's aware of it and yet she accepted it anyway. Doesn't that say a lot?"

Knuckles stopped to think for a moment.

"Yeah, it kinda does."

"I smell wedding!" Rouge sang.

"Wait a sec. How am I supposed to believe what you tell me? For all I know, this could just be a cracked up story you made up in your head."

Rouge groaned in frustration.

"You're gonna have to learn to trust me someday," she said. "But it would be silly if I made this up. Why else would I fly alllllllll the way over here? It's **definitely not** just to visit you. Please!"

The white bat began to step off the platform and spread her wings in preparation to take off.

"Wait! Why'd you come to me about it, though?" Knuckles asked.

Rouge looked over her shoulder, a sly smirk playing upon her lips.

"To gossip," she answered, and with that, she took off, her form disappearing into the night sky.

* * *

**Uncloudless: Super-dee-duper short chapter, I know. I needed to focus on these two to get the plot moving in the direction that I want it to but I don't want to focus on them too much because they're only the supporting characters. The next chapter will definitely be longer, I promise!**


	11. A Gossiped Surprise Part II

Amy swirled the ring around her finger. It glistened, catching every color of the spectrum with each turn. It's no wonder she couldn't say no to it. And yet, there was something about the shock during these rushing events that prevented her from saying no. Everything happened so fast. Shadow didn't even give her time to think.

"It's not my fault," she whispered to herself. "I'm not a gold-digger."

She flipped onto her back on the pink sheets that wrapped her bed, holding her hand up in front of her. It was beautiful. But it was meaningless at the same time. She knew well that the ring was on the wrong finger; but for some reason, it didn't fit on any of the others. She frowned.

"I wish the ring didn't fit at all. Then I wouldn't be stuck with this stupid thing," she said, taking it off.

She placed it on the night stand beside her bed and then rolled onto her side to stare at it. She couldn't keep it off. If Shadow saw her without the ring, wouldn't he be offended? He got it for her as a gift. If she didn't wear it, she was afraid to rub Shadow the wrong way as if she didn't care at all about his thoughtful gesture.

It also wasn't fair. Amy had been angry and afraid of Shadow for the past couple of days that now this gesture of kindness didn't allow her the liberty to settle her thoughts about him once and for all. Now that she sent Shadow away, she was alone again and able to process her own thoughts. She wouldn't be expecting him until tomorrow evening, when she made him promise her that he would return. By then, she estimated that she should have all her thoughts raked up and figured out. And even if she didn't, she couldn't afford letting Shadow wander off for too long. She was too afraid to lose him again.

She lifted herself off the bed and re-attached the ring to her finger before dragging herself into the kitchen. The cupboards flew open with one tug, revealing nothing but dust bunnies and cobwebs.

"When was the last time I went I went food shopping?" she wondered, pushing back her pink locks in perplexity.

She opened the refrigerator door and examined its remnants.

"Jeez…I just hope my wallet doesn't look the same way."

After checking to make sure she had money, she pulled on her boots and coat and escaped to the city once more. This was exactly what she needed. The air; the atmosphere of shoppers scuffling around with big bags in their arms; the sales that storekeepers announced to get rid of Christmas gifts that didn't sell; all of the new merchandise she had missed out on. It had been so long since she was out and about like this, enjoying the day by herself without any worries. No Shadow. No Sonic. No drama. Especially because she had been depressed that entire year that Shadow was presumably dead. It was now time to let go of the bad and get her life in order.

* * *

The scanner beeped at every item swiped, the numbers on the cashier screen elevating.

Amy's eyes wandered off to the side lazily, where she noticed twin fox tails across the street through the supermarket window.

"Miss, I ain't got all day," huffed the angry tone of the heavy-set cashier.

Amy broke back into reality, her body jumping in reaction as she looked at the cashier with big emerald eyes.

"Cash or credit?" her voice boomed, impatiently.

"C-cash," Amy stuttered nervously, embarrassed, as she reached into her purse to draw out money.

Once outside, she bounced across the street with her bags of groceries to meet with the familiar face.

"Tails!" she called, excitedly.

The fox boy looked back in surprise. And instead of greeting her warmly as he normally did, his face twisted awkwardly. He looked as if he had a stick up his rear end.

"Oh, hey," he said briskly. His eyes shot back to the display glass he was standing in front of and remained fixated on a motor.

Amy hardly seemed to notice his behavior as she bent over next to him, looking at the item that had his attention.

"Cool, what's the motor for?"

"What motor?" he asked, stupidly.

She raised a brow, losing amusement.

"The one that you're ohhhh-so-interested in. Right there," she said, cocking her head towards the item.

"Oh! Yeah, that one," he laughed nervously. "Yeah, that's for, uh, a new project I'm working on."

"It's way too small to be a plane motor. What are you working on?" she asked, a bright smile hatching upon her lips.

Tails shuffled his feet, kicking gravel with his shoe while avoiding her gaze.

"It's, um… this thing that, uh, I'm working on that's…uh…not…an airplane,"

Amy looked at him blankly before grinning.

"Oh, I get it. It's a secret! Fine, don't tell me," she stuck her tongue out.

"I've gotta go home and unload," she said, shaking her groceries. "See you soon!"

* * *

"Rouge is right, I saw it!"

Tails trembled, growing white in the face as he stood on the steps of the Master Emerald alter.

"It's a giant rock! Shadow must've paid a ton for it."

"What do you know about engagement rings, you're only eight, kid," Knuckles said, growing annoyed.

"I've already heard this story from the bat girl anyway."

"But I'm telling you, she wasn't lying to you."

Knuckles crossed his arms, falling into deep contemplation.

"Hey, how did Rouge find out anyhow?" Tails asked

"She said she was in town yesterday and saw Shadow buying Amy a ring through the store window. Something like that."

"You mean…Amy and Shadow haven't announced anything?"

The red echidna shook his head.

The two suddenly fell silent for a moment.

"You think they're keeping it a secret?"

"I don't know! Why are you here, anyway?!" he growled, his patience wearing thin.

"Sor-RY! Jeez! You're the one who told me in the first place! And I thought you weren't into gossip."

"I'm **not.** I simply came to you to see if you knew about it."

"Why would you care anyway, you never care about gossip."

"It's not gossip!"

"Sorry, hun, it _is_ gossip."

The two turned around in alarm only to meet with the beautiful bat girl, Rouge. She neatly folded her batwings as she landed daintily on her high heels.

"Oh, real great. First you stalk Amy and Shadow, now it's me and Tails," said Knuckles.

"No, no. I wouldn't call it stalking. It's more like… spying," she winked, causing Knuckles to roll his eyes in response.

"Well, it's not gossip to me. It's just that it's…well, kinda a big deal."

"It is a big deal," Tails agreed.

"But what are we supposed to do with this information? I just saw Amy today and she didn't tell me anything."

"Yeah, Rouge. What if they're not engaged at all and it's just you making up these wacky stories."

The two boys turned to Rouge for answers.

"You boys look at me like I'm a criminal," she said.

"Well, you used to be," said Knuckles.

"Thank you. USED to be. I'm an angel now," she giggled.

Tails looked at her, pained.

"Rouge… I don't feel comfortable with this "secret." I couldn't even look Amy in the eye today. I don't think I'll be able to look at Shadow, either. I can't just pretend that everything's all fine and dandy when I know the huge secret they're hiding. It's…" Tails looked down, playing with his fingers, "awkward."

Rouge put one arm around Tails and the other around Knuckles, pulling them both against her. They blushed.

"Boys, boys, boys. I think we can all agree that it's hard to act like we don't know the truth when we do. Why not just come out with it and let them know that _we_ know?"

"Just tell them?" asked Tails.

"Not exactly… I have something else in mind," Rouge grinned devilishly.

"It'll definitely be quite the surprise."


	12. A Fancy Schmancy Surprise

Light streamed through the window, baking the room in a gentle warmth. Sleep last night was good; it was much needed. Not like the nightmares she had two nights ago. There was some struggle getting to sleep last night, considering the heavy thoughts that were conquering her mind. But, of course, it was nothing that a little Melatonin and tea couldn't take care of. In an instant, she was fast asleep and all her worries drained away under a pattern of floating Z's.

The pink girl stretched, a tiny smile inching across her lips. There was so much drama going on in her life that she realized she had lost the bubbly girl she always was. It was time to stomp on all the negative buzz with her red boots and dance around the positive. She hopped out of bed cheerfully and planned her outfit for the day.

She gazed into her closet, squinting her eyes in deep contemplation as she stared at the red dresses that filled the space.

"So many choices," she mumbled to herself, tapping her chin in thought. "Oh! Perfect!"

Delighted, she pulled out her signature red halter-dress. The only thing she wore every single day. Yet, she felt her best in it.

She skipped to the shower and hummed to herself while preparing the water.

_Today's gonna be a good day. Nothing's gonna ruin it._

She undressed and looked down at her ring. After deciding against taking it off, she stepped into the shower, the warm water welcoming her and putting her into a relaxed trance.

_A good day. A good, good day. _

She grinned triumphantly, lathering the soap in her hands.

_There really is no need to think about Sonic._ _Or how warm his lips felt the other night…_

Her body jolted, releasing her from her trance.

_Amy! What's gotten into you? This is supposed to be your time! It's time to stop thinking about everything that bothers you. Including Sonic._

She soaped herself angrily, a beard of bubbles forming on her chin.

She stopped.

_Yet… I can't believe I finally kissed him after all these years. I finally know what it feels like, even if he didn't kiss me back… I wonder what it would have felt like if he did…_

She leaned her back against the tiled shower wall and sank down onto the floor, goosebumps forming on her skin. She was nearly melting inside her own thoughts.

_But still…you're such a jerk to me. You still treat me like a little girl. I take care of you and you run away and disappear on me. It's like you're embarrassed to be around me._

She glared, tucking her knees under her chin.

_You'll see, Sonic. One day you're gonna want me when you can't have me anymore. And this is the last time I'm gonna think about you in the shower._

A bell rang into her ears, echoing a familiar tune. Frantically shutting the water off and reaching for a towel, she realized it was her door bell. When she stepped outside, however, there was nobody there except for a yellow envelope on the floor. She took it in her hands, inspecting the envelope for a "to" and "from" address. It was blank. Anticipation coursed through her in rapid waves as she tore open the envelope and pulled out a tri-folded piece of paper.

_Amy,_

_We would like to cordially invite you to The Tiger at 7:00 p.m. for a special evening._

_Dress to impress. _

_We hope to see you there._

_-Staff_

Her eyes panned over the letter again. There were only 4 lines and she was thoroughly confused. Could this be addressed to the wrong person? The wrong Amy, perhaps? What had she done to become recognized by the most elite restaurant in the town? Surely, she couldn't afford it.

She picked up the envelope again, turning it in her hand.

How could this be legitimate if there was no address of any sort? It's probably a scam.

She sighed.

It had always been her dream to dine at The Tiger. It was such a classy environment. Every time she was in town window shopping, she would sneak a peek at the formally dressed people who would stroll right by on their way to The Tiger. Some pulled up in limos. They were so rich, money was practically coming out of their ears.

And the exterior of the restaurant itself was absolutely glamorous. It was wide, with an old-fashioned Chinese-styled arch roofing the bridge that leads to the front entrance. In the summertime, the fountain is turned on and at night, it's divine. In the center of the fountain, there is a beautiful glass statue of a tiger, standing on its hind legs with its mouth open in a silent roar. Little light bulbs rest on the walls of the inside of the fountain illuminating the tiger, the glass reflecting the rays of light in a criss-cross spiderweb pattern and creating a remarkable sight.

Everything about The Tiger was enviable and Amy wanted to go. _Badly._

She pouted, the longing inside her gnawing at her viciously.

Perhaps she could show up and see what happens. She could walk up to the front desk and ask for confirmation on the letter. If the letter wasn't sent by them, well then… she'll just slink away embarrassed and continue dreaming about the day that she can dine there.

Her mind was made up. She was going to have to find another outfit in her closet. One that's meant to impress.

She wasted no time in brushing her hair and pulling out a long, elegant red dress out of her closet; the only outfit that was actually different than the others.

She slid it over her head and observed herself in the mirror.

The dress was form-fitting, hugging every curve on her body in the most flattering way. It was a halter-top, which tied into a small bow on the back of her neck and supported her bosom with a girly sweetheart neckline. The hem was long and touched the ground delicately, with a soft gradient of golden sparkles that disappeared as it floated up into the waist line. She felt like a princess.

Wait, just one thing.

She slid off her headband and swapped it for a big red rose which she fastened right below her left ear.

Perfect.

She looked down at the ring on her finger. It was the perfect accessory. She could definitely get used to wearing it.

The pink girl searched for a pair of high heels and a coat and idled her time anxiously before heading out at 6:30. She hadn't felt this nervous in a long time. If the letter was in fact real, then would that mean they would treat her like royalty? She had never been to a fine-dining restaurant before. She always imagined that people were treated to first-class type service. And what would she do there? Would she be eating all alone? Even if dining at this type of restaurant was always a dream of hers, she never imagined she'd be eating by herself. It would be nice to eat with at least one other person.

Her paces slowed to a stop as realization suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks.

Shadow!

She was so excited about her letter from The Tiger that she had completely forgotten that she made Shadow promise to be home by this evening. She looked up at the tall clock tower in the city.

6:55 p.m.

She couldn't possibly go back home just to write a note for him. She'll end up missing the dinner. If there is one, anyway.

_He's just gonna have to wait for me on the couch… he knows how to get in. And if he's not there when I get back, I'll kill him._

At long last, she arrived at her destination, butterflies fluttering from within her. She walked through the bridge, adorned with ivory leaves and chandeliers to light the way as she made her way to the front desk.

"Hi," she said, almost breathless. "I got this in the mail…I wasn't sure if this was legit or not."

Her fingers fumbled clumsily for the letter she kept in her purse. Her heart stopped as paper rejected her contact. Had she forgotten the letter at home?

"Um…" she released, trying to fill the awkward silence in the air.

The man at the desk looked at her blankly, folding his arms across his chest. He was dressed appropriately, with a white button-down shirt, red tie and a black blazer.

"Miss, we do not send out invitations," he said flatly.

Her heart sank in both disappointment and humility.

"Oh…well," she began, slowly backing away, "I had a feeling…"

Disappointment trailed in her voice as she felt the hurt climb up her throat. It was silly to get so excited over something that seemed too good to be true. Or anything, for that matter; anything that wasn't 100% certain.

"Thank you," she said, turning her back on the man and walking away.

"Miss Rose?"

She turned around, briskly, meeting with a smiling woman wearing a more fitted version of the uniform the man was wearing.

"Me?" she asked, feeling stupid.

"Amy Rose, yes?"

"Y-yes! That's me," she answered.

The woman beamed at her as she motioned for her to follow.

"Come with me. We have a reservation for you right this way."

Those excited butterflies came back, flapping their wings in the pit of her stomach. They were waiting for her! The letter was actually real!

Amy looked at the man as she passed by him.

_And you. You should be fired._

He looked at her, an annoyed expression dominating his face. She stuck her tongue out at him before disappearing into the dimly lit corridor.

"Here you are. This will be your room. Let me know if you need anything," said the woman as she flashed one last friendly smile before leaving her.

The room was filled with so many unfamiliar faces. Where was she supposed to sit? Was there any arranged seating? She looked around, feeling out of place. This was the type of setup that usually involved private parties. It seemed that everyone seated at the round tables all knew each other. There were no single tables.

Suddenly, her eyes landed on a familiar-looking face.

_Hey, is that Knuckles?_ _How can he afford it here?_

He was dressed in a blazer and a black bow tie as he threw his head back in a fit of laughter. Well, someone definitely looked like he was having a good time. Her eyes trailed over to the rest of the table, realizing that he was not alone.

_Tails?_

The fox was dressed to match Knuckles, also bursting into giggles.

Amy began to walk, curiosity surging within her. Somehow, she knew something was up. And as she walked closer, Rouge popped into her view, the beautiful bat clad in a very form-fitting sparkling midnight blue dress. Could they have all gotten the same letter?

Rouge looked up, her eyes growing wide in excitement as they fixated on Amy. The white bat stood up, raised her glass of champagne and clanked a spoon against it.

"Everyone!" she called out, silencing the room.

Amy approached the table and whispered frantically, "Guys, what the heck is going on here?"

But neither Knuckles nor Tails said anything to her. They both beamed at her awkwardly; nervously, actually.

"Everyone, please give a round of applause to Miss Amy Rose!" Rouge sang out and the whole room whistled and cheered wildly.

Confusion penetrated Amy's mind violently. There was not a single thought in her head that could reason what could be going on.

"What is this? What are you doing?!" Amy continued to whisper. "Rouge!"

Rouge turned to her, excitement glowing in her eyes. But she didn't say anything. Instead, she directed her attention to the west corner of the room where she shouted,

"And can we get a round of applause for this lucky fellow right here—Mr. Shadooooow the hedgehog!"

From his corner, Shadow stood up from his seat and slowly came into view, spot lights turned to him.

"Come on over here, Shadow!"

Amy watched in horror. Why was Shadow here? He was supposed to be home! But the more her thoughts circled around her, the more she began to form an idea about what this was about.

And she didn't like it one bit.

The black hedgehog appeared by Amy's side as the room continued to roar wildly. It took some time for Rouge to tame them back into silence.

"Now, you guys, we all gathered here tonight because we want to extend our most heartfelt congratulations. A toast! To Shadow and Amy Hedgehog!"

The room held up their glasses and screamed an excited simultaneous, "Cheers!"

Amy glared daggers at Rouge.

"What are you doing?! A toast to what?" Amy yelled, trying to talk over the loud voices that filled the room once more.

"To you and Shadow! Congrats! Happy engagement, sweetie!" Rouge answered, delightedly.

"Engagement?!"

How could Rouge have found out? She hadn't told anybody about the ring.

Rouge looked at Shadow, disgusted.

"Shadow, I told you to at least wear a bowtie. A white one."

He looked down, inspecting himself. He was not wearing anything at all.

"What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?"

Rouge rolled her eyes.

"Never mind."

"Rouge, can I talk to you?" Amy interrupted, furiously.

"Hold on a minute," Rouge said. "Can I have a mic?"

A member of the staff walked over and handed Rouge a microphone.

"I love you guys, wonderful service," she beamed at the staff member before turning back to the rest of the room.

"Ok, Sonic the hedgehog, I can see you over at Table 8. You were assigned Table 1. Get your blue behind over here and congratulate these two lovebirds!"

This was a disaster. Amy was officially living in a nightmare. She pinched at her elbow, hoping she would wake up and still be in the comfort of her room.

Nope, nothing.

She was already awake.

She watched as Sonic stood up slowly; hesitantly. He was also wearing a blazer and bow tie. The pink girl couldn't help but hold her breath. He looked devilishly cute and she couldn't deny it. Her cheeks turned rosy pink as he approached them, looking down at his feet the entire time.

"Hey, congrats you guys," Sonic said, making minimal eye contact.

Amy's heart sank.

"Sonic, what were you doing at Table 8? You knew you were sitting with us," Rouge said, annoyed.

"Heh, sorry. Just tryna catch up with old buds. I'm here now," he said, holding his arm out as he playfully took a bow.

"You sure you weren't just jealous that your rival stole your girl?" Knuckles teased.

Sonic snapped upright, violently glaring at Knuckles.

"What are you talking about? I don't have a girl. Never did, never will."

"Ohhh, so that's why you've been avoiding the main table all night. So you wouldn't have to witness your ex-girlfriend getting stolen away."

"You're one to talk, Knuckles. You've never even had a relationship and you're too shy to ask out the girl you dream about every night," Sonic shot back, cocking his head towards Rouge's direction.

Rouge looked at the two with a playful smirk.

"I always knew Knuckles had a crush on me. Too bad I'm out of his league," she said, slyly.

Sonic burst into laughter as the red echidna looked away, embarrassed.

"You guys just like to gang up on me," he said, defensively.

"Not denying it, huh, Knuckles!?" Sonic continued laughing.

"Shut up, Sonic! I've never even talked about Rouge before."

Amy drowned out the scene to tend to her thoughts. She was going to have to tell everyone that she wasn't engaged. But when Sonic suddenly showed up, anger consumed her. And in a sense, she thought: to hell with it. Because she was tired of chasing after someone who didn't appreciation her; who didn't want her the way she wanted him. Enough was enough. Maybe it was time to finally move on. And maybe that's why she went along with it throughout the night as she was asked questions about her and Shadow.

"So Amy," Rouge turned to her, "how did this proposal happen?"

Bingo. The question she was afraid to be asked. She could just easily come out right now and admit that there was no proposal. She racked her mind for something to say.

"Oh, well, you know…" she said unsurely, looking down.

"You're right. I do know."

Amy looked up to meet with Rouge's mischievous eyes. Without question, Rouge provided an answer:

"I saw you two at the jewelry store when he gave you the ring. Not exactly the most romantic of places…but I suppose beggars can't be choosers. You're a bride-to-be!"

"Y-yeah, you got it…" Amy rubbed her arm nervously.

"Thank goodness you got my letter. I told Tails here to slide it under your door but instead he decided to ring the doorbell and run away. I thought by the time you got to the door, the wind would have snatched it up."

Amy trembled in horror. But at this point, she shouldn't be surprised.

"The letter was from you?"

Suddenly, the DJ dimmed the lights and the music began to play.

"How are y'all doin' tonight, ladies and gents?" boomed the voice of the DJ through the speakers. The guests cheered in excitement.

Rouge grabbed Amy's hand, tugging her to the direction of the dancefloor.

"Come on, let's dance. We can talk all about wedding planning," she winked.

Amy swallowed the lump in her throat as she followed Rouge. For what it was worth, she would have to make the best out of this night and figure out what to do with the rest of this mess later.


End file.
